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Document Authentication and Apostille

If you are travelling overseas, or sending documents for use in a foreign country, you may be required to have the documents certified by our office. Depending on the country requesting the certificate, that certification may be called an “Apostille” or a certificate of “Authentication”.

An “apostille” or a certificate of “authentication” is issued to certify an Arizona notary public, court clerk, or state document custodian to a foreign country. These certifications have been adopted internationally by the Hague Convention (PDF) as a uniform way of verifying documents sent between countries.

Filing Tips

For all mailed requests, return postage is required. We recommend a service that can be tracked to ensure its return to you.

Any requests going to Puerto Rico or any U.S. territory need a “notarial capacity certificate” and the requestor will pay an $18 fee.

Don’t send documents recorded by another state. The state that produced the document needs to certify it (I.E. a birth certificate from Nevada needs to be certified by the Nevada Secretary of State’s office). Documents returned by other states will be returned to you.

We do not issue electronic apostilles.

If you have any questions, please call us at 602-542-6187 or 1-800-458-5842 or email us.